Federal Judge Rules Pledge Unconstitutional

Foxnews.com ^ | 9/14/2005 | LeanneMSmith

[LeanneMSmith]

SAN FRANCISCO — The Pledge of Allegiance (search) was ruled unconstitutional Wednesday by a federal judge who granted legal standing to two families represented by an atheist whose previous attempt to get the pledge out of public schools was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.

[XpandTheEkonomy]

A few liberals recite a slightly revised version of Bellamy's original Pledge: 'I pledge allegiance to my Flag, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with equality, liberty and justice for all.'

Well this cuts to the heart of the matter. Equality superceding liberty means of course no liberty at all.

[Red Badger]

Egaltarian French nonsense...........

[MineralMan]

I agree that we should return the pledge to the pre 1954 version. Not all citizens of this great nation are religious. Others are. Our pledge should be one which can be spoken by all citizens without hypocracy. I cannot say "under God" in the pledge, since I have no belief in any deities. So I don't.

Something I've noticed from time to time while reciting the pledge is that many, since the original Newdow ruling, emphasise the "under God" phrase, often making it sound even a bit like a curse. Not the best thing.

The worst thing I ever saw, though, with regard to the Pledge was at a Memorial Day function I attended at a local cemetary while I was living in California.

An elderly couple attended the function with some local residents. When it came time to salute the flag, they stood mute and didn't recite the Pledge. After the ceremony, this guy in a WWII Marine Dress uniform, with a VFW cap on his head, started yelling at this older couple, accusing them of a lack of patriotism, calling them traitors and worse. He went on for a while until someone pointed out to him that the couple were British, visiting friends in the town. Apparently they had come to the ceremony to pay their respects to those who lost their lives defending England.

A little thought is required, I think, with regard to all of this.

[Apogee]

"The next thing that these stupid judges are probably going to rule unconstitutional is the United States itself."

The United States shold be ruled unconstitutional, imo.
Then maybe we could get abou the business of fixing that.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
aside:

The Supreme Court dismissed the case last year, saying Newdow lacked standing because he did not have custody of his elementary school daughter he sued on behalf of.

I seem to recall that a preposition was something we were taught not to end a sentence ;) with. Silly me...

[Prophet in the wilderness]

The smallest percentage of people in this country ruin it for the rest of us and are so selfish.
Some people just need their 15 mins of shame .. opps, I meant fame ,,,,, isn't that right Cindy ?

[Clint N. Suhks]

I cannot say "under God" in the pledge, since I have no belief in any deities.

That's fine, just don't force your immorality on me at the point of a gun.

THEN you must also shun using the BC/AD Christian calender because it makes you be a hypocrite too? Isn't it the year of the RAT or something?

And you don't participate in Christmas then either, right?

[MineralMan]

"That's fine, just don't force your immorality on me at the point of a gun.

THEN you must also shun using the BC/AD Christian calender because it makes you be a hypocrite too? Isn't it the year of the RAT or something?

And you don't participate in Christmas then either, right?"

---

I force nothing on anybody. I'm just telling you what I do.

As for BC/AD, I use them because they are the accepted method of assigning a date to two different eras. However, I cannot, for the life of me, remember the last time I used them. It might have been in college, over 35 years ago. I don't generally write 2005 A.D. on my checks.

As for Christmas, I participate in that holiday when others around me celebrate it. This year, I'm in charge of making the Christmas dinner for about 16 family members.

The whole point here is as you have stated it: Force. Force me to say a pledge that includes a reference to a belief in a deity and you're forcing me to lie. I'm not asking you to say the Pledge in any particular way. You're welcome to say whatever you wish. There's no force coming from me on this issue.

[OrioleFan]

Carter appointee...

[Clint N. Suhks]

When did Cesar Augustus rein? Year of the cow? Don't write AD on your checks LOL.

If you celebrate Christmas you are a hypocrite. I thought that was your whole objection.

And the force would be against me because Under God was forcibly removed. No one compels you, at the point of a gun, you to say Under God...yet you're happy to take that right from me even though it's the "accepted method" of saying the pledge. The force is aginst me, not you.

[cubram]

I'm fairly certain no one would force you to not say "under God," if this is what you choose to do, especially not gun point.

[MineralMan]

"If you celebrate Christmas you are a hypocrite. I thought that was your whole objection."

Not at all. I celebrate with those who consider it an important holiday. I've celebrated Jewish holidays with Jews, and Buddhist holidays with Buddhists. I've even celebrated at weddings that I thought were ill-advised.

A celebration has nothing to do with my beliefs. Most of my friends are Christian. A few are Jewish, and even fewer are Buddhists. I celebrate with them. If they pray, I am silently respectful of THEIR faith.

You can say the Pledge however you want. I'll never object to that. I'll say it the way I learned it in 1951 when I was in first grade.

I'll never say a thing to you about your version of the pledge, and I assume you will afford me the same respect. I am a patriotic American citizen. I've served in my nation's military, and have taken an oath to defend the Constitution.

However, deities have nothing to do with my love of the USA. Principles do. And one of those guiding principles makes my disbelief equal to your belief. I respect your belief, and will ask you to respect my disbelief. We'll get along just fine.

[solowe]

President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved adding the words "under God" on June 14 (Flag Day), 1954. As he authorized this change he said:

"In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."